Writing women back into history
Leticia Colmenares,
professor of chemistry,
on “Rewriting Women
Back into Chemistry”

Now you understand,
Just why my head’s not
bowed.
I don’t shout or jump
about,
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing,
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That’s me.

Monday, March 8, 4:305:30 p.m. in Ākoakoa 105.
Colmenares is a winner
of a Regents Excellence in
Teaching Medal. Although
chemistry is a difficult
subject for many, she keeps
up to date with the latest
technology to make learning easier and entertaining
for her students.

Malia Lau Kong,
history instructor,
on “Telling Herstory”

— from “Phenomenal Woman”
by Maya Angelou

by Monika McConnell
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

M

University of Texas / Ka ‘Ohana

aya Angelou’s lines from
her poem exude confidence and strength.
Her words give women confirmation that yes, they can be recognized for their accomplishments as
well as their femininity.
Throughout history women have
ruled nations, led expeditions and
made discoveries that have pushed
us into the modern age.
To honor their achievements,
WCC sociology instructor Kathleen
Frenc h is coordi nat i ng a ser ies
of speakers for Women’s History
Month 2010 this March.
“If I could have asked all our fe-

male faculty to speak, I would have!”
declared French.
Instead, however, she chose six
speakers from diverse topics: science,
history, religion, disability counseling, sociology and astronomy.
The Education Task Force of Sonoma, California initiated “Women’s
History Week” in March 1978.
The following March, the idea of
a Women’s History Week expanded
and by 1980 President Carter declared
the week of March 8 as the first National Women’s Week.
Today the observance has evolved
into a month-long celebration.
French brought Women’s History

Month to WCC in 2005. As an undergrad, she recalls attending lectures
celebrating Women’s National History Month at her college.
Participating in events that celebrated women “made me feel valued
and supported, like my experiences
mattered,” says French.
And they do matter — all of our
experiences matter — so this March
join the celebration of “Writing
Women Back into History” by listening to the inspirational words of
some of WCC’s phenomenal women
as they share their stories and views.
The talks are free and open to the
public. The speakers will be:

Tuesday,March 9, 12:301:30 p.m. in Ākoakoa 105.
I f Ma l ia Lau Kong
could change the history
book s to include more
facts about women, she
would.
She doesn’t think histor y is just about “h is
story”; rather she views
history as a long-running
film with characters being highlighted at different times.
“Textbooks would be a lot more
appealing to students if they talked
about women who played extraordinary roles in their societies,” Kong
says.
She adds that itʻs because “it
would show that these women were
not bound by what societies dictated their traditional roles to be.”

See the rest of Women’s History
Month line-up on page 12:
Sarah Hadmack, Ann Lemke,
Jayne Bopp and Nancy Ali.

WCC enrollment keeps growing and growing
S

by Alvin Hall
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

tudents are enrolling in
UH community colleges
in record numbers, with WCC
leading the way with an almost 25 percent increase over
last spring.
Some people may be wondering: How can students
afford schooling in this weakened economy? Are there
new initiatives helping students pay for school? Will this
surge in enrollment continue
throughout the next few years?
“Usually when the economy is down, the president

patrick hascall

WCC student enrollment reached 2,305 this spring semester.

increases funds for schooling
in order to try and boost the
economy,” offers Lui K. Hokoana, WCC Vice Chancellor

of Student Affairs.
“This money is intended
for, but not exclusive to, employees who have been dis-

placed to upgrade their skills
and maybe find a more stable
way back into the workforce.”
Financial aid officer Steven Chigawa can verify the
growth in student enrollment
being tied to the economy.
“We have seen an increase in
people applying for student
aid — (now) it’s about 2,000,
so certainly more students
are aware of the financial aid
available,” he says.
“Students are also figuring out (at a community
college) they can save about
$5,000 per year in the first two
years of their schooling for the
same level of classes offered at
a four-year school,” Chigawa

says. “With the economy in
the state that it is, people are
more inclined to change plans
in order to save money.”
Another possible factor,
Hokoana explains, is that
WCC has developed more
comprehensive outreach programs to let potential students
know about resources earlier
in their academic careers.
Some of these resources include WCC’s distance education
programs that have opened in
Waianae and Waimanalo with
an eye toward the North Shore
for future programs. These account for some of the increase.

SEE enrollment page 12

2

F e b r u a r y 2 0 10

Ka ‘Ohana

NEWS of the DAY
WINDWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Danger increasing in Mexico
by Bao Lam
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

O

n Dec. 23, 2009, Agustin Roberto “Bobby”
Salcedo, a 33-year-old
assistant principal and school
board member in Los Angeles,
was dining with a friend at a
bar in Gomez Palacio in Durango, Mexico.
This night would prove
deadly for Salcedo and several
other people who were killed
due to increasing violence in
Mexico.
According to the Los Angeles Times, multiple armed
gunmen burst into a bar called
Iguanas Ranas, asking whose
truck was parked in front.
No one responded to the inquiry, so the masked assailants zeroed in on Salcedo and
five other men, hauling them
away.
Several hours later, the
bodies of the six men were
found dumped in a field.
They were killed executionstyle, with a single gunshot
to the head.
Authorities believe that
Salecdo was an innocent victim and not involved in any
drug or criminal activity and
was in the wrong place at the
wrong time. His story is one
of many tragedies coming out
of Mexico.
The area t hat Salcedo
happened to be i n has a
well-established seedy reputation, known for kidnap-

bobby salcedo memorial foundation

Bobby Salcedo was an assistant
principal at Mountain View High
School in El Monte, California.

pings, shootouts, and drug
purchasing.
According to the Los Angeles Times, “People are routinely stopped and checked
by gunmen outside Santiago
Papasquiaro [a gateway town
to Durango].”
The gunmen ask people
about their gang and drug
affiliations. One Southern
California immigrant leader
said they asked if he was part
of the Zetas gang or Sinaloa
cartel.
The Sinaloa cartel mainly
occupies the middle of Mexico. The cartel that the Zetas
gang derived from, the Gulf
Cartel, has been spreading to
the northeastern border region
and has been in conflict with
the Sinaloa.
The middle class in Mexico has been disappearing,
and many of the families have

fled. This is due to the increasing crimes of extortion and
kidnapping. Business owners
have moved their businesses
to their homes to avoid looking wealthy. Neighbors call,
threatening and extorting
each other.
In 2006, Mexican president Felipe Calderón declared a war on drugs. He
h a s s e nt m a ny m i l it a r y
groups out to combat the
drug cartels across the country. Since then killings and
violence have increased.
“Last year, there were
over 600 people slain, making
Durango the fourth deadliest
state,” said Sam Quinones and
Molly Hennessy-Fiske of the
Los Angeles Times.
Crime has spread over
Mexico due to the authorities’ ineffectiveness. Mexican drug cartels have been
engaged in violent conflicts
among themselves and Mexican security services. They
fight over the narcotics trafficking control routes along
the U.S.-Mexican border.
In some of t he recent
Mexican army and police
c on f r ont at ion s w it h t he
drug cartels, large firefights
have taken place.
During these incidents,
U. S. c it i z e n s h ave b e e n
trapped and temporarily
prevented from leaving the
area.
The firefights mostly occur in the northern Mexican

www.theodora.com/maps

Currently, the U.S. MIssion in Mexico restricts non-essential travel within
Durango in light of a recent increase in assaults, murders and kidnappings.

states such as Tijauna, Chihuahua City, Monterrey and
Ciudad Juarez.
The recent violent attacks
in Mexico prompted the U.S.
Embassy to urge citizens to
delay any unnecessary travel
to Michoacán and Chihuahua.
This violence “includes
drug cartels and other associated criminal elements
retaliating against individuals who speak out against
them or whom they view as a
threat to their organization,
regardless of citizenship,”
according to a U.S. Department of State Travel Alert.
This alert states that violence in the country has been
increasing and it is “imperative
that travelers understand the
risk of travel to Mexico, how
best to avoid dangerous situa-

tions, and who to contact if one
becomes a crime victim.”
The USDOS recommends,
“U.S. citizens should make
every attempt to travel on
main roads during daylight
hours, which are generally
more secure…and are encouraged to stay in well-known
tourist areas. Do not display
expensive-looking jewelry,
large amounts of money, or
other valuable items.
“Common-sense precautions, such as visiting only legitimate business and tourist
areas during daylight hours
and avoiding areas where
prostitution and drug dealing
might occur, can help ensure
that travel to Mexico is safe
and enjoyable.”
– Writer Bao Lam is a former
student of Mountain View High.

College enrollment up, student employment down
Labor Statistics, the numbers
of 16 to 24 year-olds employed
in September 2009 was 46.1%,
the lowest numbers ever recorded since the government
began collecting data in 1948.
If college students aren’t
working then how are they
able to live? For a few, parent
assistance is the only source
of income to help pay for
school, gas, food, rent, books,
and the other necessary expenditures of college.

by Carrie Vieira
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

N

ationwide college enrollment rates are at an all
time high while student employment is at an all-time low.
The numbers of 18 to
24-year-olds attending college in the United States hit a
record high in October 2009,
driven by a recession-era
surge in enrollment at community colleges, according
to the Pew Research Center.
Howe ve r, on e h a s to
wonder, “will the lack of
employment affect a student’s ability to finish what
they’ve started?”
According to Elysie Ashburn of The Chronicle of Higher Education in a January 2010
article, “71 percent of those
surveyed who had quit college
said that work was a factor in
their decision, and more than
half said it was a major factor.
“About 35 percent of
those who dropped out said
they had tried to balance

during this period, based
on the newly released information provided by the
U.S.Census Bureau.
It is harder for 16 to 24year olds to find employment
in the current economy. Unemployment rates are at the
highest level in more than a
quarter of a century.
This has had an especially
harsh impact on young adults.
According to the Bureau of

SEE EMPLOYMENT ON PAGE 9

Ka ‘Ohana

theresa worden

WCC students rush through a crowd of people to get to class.

work and study, and found it
too stressful.”
Nearly 40 percent of all
young adults, 18 to 24, were
enrolled in either a two- or
four-year college in October
2009 (the most recent date
for which nationwide data
are available).
This is the highest number ever recorded for community colleges. University
enrollments have plateaued

O t h e r s t u d e n t s m ay
qualify for financial aid. Pell
grants may pay for tuition
while student loans offset living expenses. But even with
the resources available, most
students still need to work to
make ends meet.
After losing his job, one
student was forced to quit
school after finding employment that conflicted with his
class schedule.

Ka ‘Ohana is published monthly by the students of Windward Community College. 45-720 Kea‘ahala Rd,
Kāne‘ohe, Hawai‘i 96744. Phone (808) 236-9187 or 236-9185. The newspaper reflects only the views of its
student staff. Visit Ka ‘Ohana’s website at www.KaOhanaOnline.org.

ow do you w i n a
free trip to Japan
when you’re going
to school?
Four currently enrolled
WCC students — Micaela
Gradie, Savannah Adler, Naia
Arguire, and Elevila Thompson —found out by being
awarded Freeman Foundation
scholarships to Japan.
Toshi Ikagawa, chair of
the college’s International
Education Committee, praised
the students’ success, saying,
“Four students were selected
from WCC for the Freeman
Japan Program! That is onethird from WCC!”
“I’m pretty stoked,” said
Thompson about her reaction
to receiving the scholarship,
which will allow her to experience a different country, different culture and language.
The students will be attending and dorming at the
Kanazawa Institute of Technology on the western side of
Honshu, whereas in previous
years students were dorming at Tokai University near
Tokyo.
While in Japan, these stu-

dents will be studying the
Japanese language.
The selected students are
enrolled at Kapiolani Community College this spring
to immerse themselves in a
three-month-long, Monday
through Friday class, learning
the Japanese language and
culture.
Then they will be in Japan
April 7 through July 31. Most of
these students from Windward

have not been to Japan and are
not majoring in Japanese.
However, Arguire said, “I
am leaning toward teaching
English as a second language,”
which she could research
while she is in Japan.
The scholarship covers
tuition, room, books and
most meals at KCC as well as
roundtrip airfare from Honolulu, tuition, room, board, and
stipend in Japan.

The students submitted
an application explaining
their general background,
the different languages they
speak, and school and traveling history.
They also provided two
letters of recommendation and
a transcript showing a GPA of
at least a 3.0 as well as a two- to
three-page personal statement
about how an international
experience would help them

reach their academic and career objectives.
Two weeks after submitting their applications, they
were called into a group interview in front of a panel,
including Ikagawa.
The panel decides if these
students would be able to
work well together during
the time they are in the program. The winners of the
program are notified about
two weeks after the interview
process.
Similar programs are offered for study in Korea and
China with an application
deadline of March 19, 2010.
The Korea opt ion covers
Summer 2010 study at KCC
followed by spending Fall
2010 in Korea.
The China program includes Fall 2010 study at KCC
followed by Spring 2011 in
China.
Ken Kiyohara is in charge
of the scholarship at the Honda International Center.
If you’re interested in
applying for the scholarshp,
contact Ikagawa at 236-9216,
ikagawa@hawaii.edu or Kiyohara at 734-9824, kiyohara@hawaii.edu.

Grievance process resolves problems
S

by Lance Sabado
Ka ‘Ohana Editor in Chief

tudents have the right to
exercise their freedom of
speech about campus faculty
members.
But how far is too far?
Whether it is a disparaging post on Facebook or an
ill-intended sign put up on
campus, st udents should
know they are always accountable for what they say.
They should also know
that, according to the student
conduc t code, da mag i ng
discourse can be grounds for
suspension and, if need be,
immediate expulsion.
WCC Vice Cha ncellor
for Student Services Lui Hokoana explains, “The critical
component of the student
conduct code is that students
are in violation if what they
are doing is interfering with
learning on campus.”
Fortunately, there is a
grievance process for students who feel the need to
file a formal complaint about
faculty members.
It is described on page 21
of the WCC 2009-2011 course
catalog. Basically, students
have to go through the following four steps to resolve

a claim:
• Resolve the matter with
the faculty member within 14
days of the problem.
• If the matter is not resolved, the student has seven
days af ter t he last meeting with facult y member
to file a complaint with the
department chair (i.e. humanities, science, language
arts, math/business) or the
faculty member’s dean.
• If the matter is still not
resolved, the student has
seven days to file a written
compla i nt w it h t he Vice
Chancellor for Academic
Affairs.
• Last, if the matter is still
not satisfactorily resolved,
the student has seven days to
file a written grievance with
the chairperson of the Academic Grievance Committee.
R ic h a rd Fu lton , Vic e
Chancellor for Academic
Affairs, spoke favorably of
the whole grievance process.
Fulton says, “Department chairs and deans tell
m e t h at c o mpl a i nt s a r e
more common than actual
grievances, but grievances
are filed—most often over
grades. As far as I know,
any complaint to a department chair, dean, or vice

chancellor has always been
investigated.”
Hokoana adds about this,
“Complaints can usually be
taken care of at the faculty
or department level. Most
of the time it’s a misunderstanding or a miscommunication between student and
faculty.”
WCC st udent Tabit ha
Salboro feels that students
need to be more informed
about the whole process.
Salboro says, “The grievance process is not something that is talked about
around campus. It should be
known throughout school so
that students know what to
do and where to go to report
a situation.
“Also, maybe the school
can have a confidential hotline for students who feel
embarrassed about a situation that may have occurred—without all the spotlight,” adds Salboro.
In any case, disagreements between students and
faculty are inevitable. What
the WCC grievance process
does is ensure that these disagreements are effectively
resolved.
However, Fulton maintains that complaints at WCC

are rare.
He says, “In my 35 years
of academic administration,
at six different institutions,
I’ve heard fewer concerns by
students about WCC faculty
than anywhere else.
“That speaks well for both
the quality and seriousness of
our students and faculty.”
WCC also maintains formal procedures for resolving
student conduct issues, such
as impermissible behavior,
academic dishonesty, cheating
and plagiarism.

WCC Grievance Procedures
(see page 21 of course catalog)

1. Try to resolve the issue directly.
2. If this doesn’t work, you
have a week to meet
with the faculty member’s
dean or department chair.
3. Still not satisfied? Write a
letter to the vice chancellor
for academic affairs within
7 days.
4. Still not resolved? Send a
grievance letter to the Chair
of the Academic Grievance
Committee.

Groundbreaking delay
G

by Victor Siilata
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

roundbreak ing for
WCC ’s n e w L i b r a r y
Learning Commons, originally set for Feb. 25, has been
delayed by a month. The new
date for the groundbreaking
ceremony is now March 19.
The rescheduling is to
give all contractors submitt i ng bids for t he projec t
more time to complete their
offers. This extension could
save time down the road, according to WCC Chancellor
Doug Dykstra.

If the bids were accepted as scheduled, there is a
chance some of the smaller
companies could file an objection, and the appeal process could take months.
The month delay will not
affect the completion date if
everything else goes according to plan, Dykstra added.
S o i n t h e me a nt i me,
students can enjoy another
month of classes without
noise, dust and traffic. For
t hose wanting to see t he
library get started, it’s just another small wait for a process
that began long ago.

F e b r u a r y 2 0 10

4 Ka ‘Ohana

CAMPUS NEWS
WINDWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Vet assisting interns live the wild life
T

by Darriel Miller
Ka “Ohana Staff Reporter

he sound of howling dogs, meowing cats and chirping birds
filled my ears as I walked
through the back doors of Feather
and Fur Animal Hospital on my first
day of interning.
Don’t be fooled by the tranquility of the newly remodeled waiting
room; it ’s simply a cover-up for
the madhouse behind those closed
doors.
As an intern in WCC’s new vet
assisting program, I’m going to
observe and sometimes help with
standard procedures common in
veterinary practice. I’m scheduled to
experience every aspect of the clinic,
including the reception area, kennel
house and surgery room.
If you get a thrill working with
animals or feel satisfaction when
helping them, then the veterinary
assisting program is for you. This

Feather and Fur Animal Hospital

Darriel Miller watches as two vet techs prepare to draw blood from a feline patient.

two-part introductory program gives
you a firm foundation in the basics

of the veterinary field. Although this
one-year program only offers a cer-

tificate in veterinary assisting, you
may qualify to transfer to a school
where you can become a licensed
technician.
The first semester focuses on
building your scientific knowledge
of biology and chemistry.
Then the second semester gives
you the opportunity to apply that
knowledge with hands-on experiences in the laboratory and internships at participating veterinary
clinics.
After years of planning by instructors and animal hospitals across
the island, Windward Community
College has become the first college
in Hawai‘i to offer veterinary-related
courses and academic certification
in this field.
I’m so grateful that WCC was
able to develop a program like this.
Becuse now I’m able to witness the
reality behind those closed doors
and work alongside licensed veterinarians and technicians.

ow under way is Rain
Bi rd’s newest publ icat ion Ho’opuiwa: A journey into the Creepy, Freaky,
and Frightening Realms of
Hawai’i.
Fo r t h o s e w h o do n’t
know, Rain Bird is the college’s annual literary and
art journal that publishes
WCC’s best works of art,
poetry, essays, short stories,
and photography.
Rain Bird is looking for
stor ies a nd work s of a r t
that represent the issue’s
theme.
“ Yo u r c r e a t i v i t y i s
h ig h ly e nc ou rag e d. Us e
you r i mag i n at ion!” says
Robert Barclay, faculty advisor for the Rain Bird.
So, if you’re interested
in joining the thousands of
t hose already published,
here’s an easy step-by-step
guide to follow:
•Collect all t he work

you are entering.
•Find an entry form located in the library, outside
Rain Bird studio (‘Akoakoa
236), or in the bookstore.
The yellow forms are
for writing entries, and the
bright pink for any forms
of art.
•Read t he d i rec t ion s
carefully.
•Fi l l out t he for m(s),
at tac h your work(s), a nd
drop into one of the creepylooking boxes found in the
library, outside Rain Bird’s
studio or in the bookstore.
•The deadline for written work is Oct. 8, 2010.
•The deadline for pieces of art is Oct. 31, 2010.
Barclay adds, “We need
more artwork this issue! I
would love to see more photos, sculptures, ceramics,
draw i ngs, a nd pai nt i ngs
this year.
“Last issue, we received
ma ny photos f rom cel l
phones, which we no longer accept.”

elcome Back! That was
the theme for the Jan.
14 ASUH-WCC event. Live
music got people jammin’,
campus clubs got them interested and the pizza kept
them full.
The DeLi ma Oha na
played a variety of music:
a few oldies, some goodies and even a rendition of
Bob Marley’s “Three Little
Bi rd s.” The voc a l s wer e
constantly met with loud
applause.
Safe Spaces, Phi Theta
Kappa, Ku Pono and t he
Music Club were some of
the more familiar clubs that
were there.
Students for a Sensible
Drug Policy and the Martial

Arts club are new additions that were also
present.
24-hour Fitness also
had a boot h t hat offered a wheel of various trial memberships
a nd a draw i ng for a
six-month free trial.
Also, Nicole Kai is
an official WCC celebrity since winning the
tuition giveaway.
Leslie Opulauoho
“I was so thrilled to
win,” Kai said. “This is Zach Fueston strikes a pose with spring
my third time trying 2010 tuition winner Nicole Kai.
(for the waiver). “No one educational assistant.”
in my family has gone to
For t hose of you who
college. I’ve been at home missed t h is event, check
for six years with my kids, out Mid-Month Munchies
but now I want to get my throughout the semester and
AA degree and work as an other ASUH-WCC events.

Students needed for new film club
T

he Film Club at WCC (TFC@
WCC) offers students an exciting way to create and collaborate in a popular medium within
the established structure of Rain
Bird, Windward Community
College’s literary journal.
This semester, the newly
launched film club will be producing two short films, as well
as planning and preparing for
future projects.
Since film is not just a “point
and shoot” activity, a skillfully
rendered film requires the assistance of many hands.
TFC@WCC currently meets
on Monday and Wednesday
afternoons at 3 p.m. in Hale
‘Ākoakoa 236 and will begin
film preparation in February.

They are looking for students who are interested in being a part of this groundbreaking club. Prior experience is not
necessary.
For more information, contact Robert Barclay (rbarclay@
hawaii.edu) or Desi Poteet (poteetd@hawaii.edu)
Looking for:
Actors – represent characters on screen.
Art Director – works with
the director to create sets.
Director – responsible for
coordinating all aspects of the
film.
Director of Photography –
works with the director to set up
and shoot shots.
Editing – edits the raw foot-

age into finished product.
Graphics – creates graphics
for the credits.
Lighting – sets up and
maintains lighting for the shoot.
Make-Up – works with the
director and actors on make-up
for each character.
Music Director – works
with the director to create/gather music appropriate to the film.
Screenwriter - wordsmith
Script Supervisor – maintains continuity from shot to
shot.
Sound – sets up and maintains the sound during the
shoot.
Wardrobe – works with the
director and actors on clothing
choices for each character.

t some point in everyone’s education, the
inevitable questions
arise: What will I do next?
Will I continue school? Will I
enter the workforce?
The answers to these loaded questions often do not come
easy.
However, WCC has a program to help students find the
answer that best suits them.
From January through
March, the college is holding
Transfer Workshops aimed
at helping students from all
academic backgrounds figure
out where the next step should
lead.
Representatives from several universities and academic
programs will be on campus
to discuss the transition from
WCC.
These workshops are coordinated by WCC transition
counselor Carla Rogers, who
said, “Our purpose is not
only to have a student get
firsthand information, but
to make initial contact with
representatives from several
degree programs.”
Rogers added that stu-

dents should do some research
and “shop around” for the
program that fits them best.
The counselors can provide specific information
about prerequisite requirements, transfer credit availability, and in some cases,
testing requirements.
Rogers always urges students to plan ahead for their
academic careers and make
the most of their time at Windward.
Many programs have specific class requirements, which
can be satisfied at Windward
if the student plans properly.
The final workshop is the
WCC Graduation Workshop.
This is hosted by Rogers on
March 9 and 10 from 12:40 –
1:20 p.m. in Hale ‘Ākoakoa
201.
This is a mandatory session for students planning to
graduate WCC this spring. In
this workshop, students are
given personal attention and
help determining the specific
steps in their educational future.
Information about specific
courses and majors will be
presented and discussed to
ensure that every student gets
the most from their education.

Peer mentors are here to help

In addition to these workshops, WCC will host a series
of satellite advising sessions,
in which a student can schedule one-on-one time with
counselors from UH-Hilo and
select programs at UH-Mānoa.
These are sessions where students can discuss their specific
career goals with counselors
providing specific personalized information.
Students are free to contact
Rogers by calling 235-7387.
The following is a short
list of some of the many workshops offered:
• Thursday, Feb. 11 UHMānoa College of Arts and
Sciences. Hale ‘Ākoakoa 201
12:40 – 1:20 p.m. For an individual advising appointment
before or after, call Carla Rogers at 235-7387.
• Tuesday, Feb. 16 Hawai’i
Pac i f ic Un iver sit y. Ha le
‘Ākoakoa 201 12:40 – 1:20 p.m.
• Thursday, Feb. 18 UHHilo. Hale ‘Ākoakoa 201
12:40 – 1:20 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 2 UH
-West Oahu. Hale ‘Ākoakoa
12:40 – 1:20 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 9 and
10 WCC Graduation Workshop, Hale ‘Ākoa koa 201
12:40 - 1:20 p.m.

ASUH aims to
help community

by Daniel Quinlan
Ka ‘Ohana Writer

by Adam Gottlieb
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

H

ave you ever needed a little
tutoring help with that one
tough WCC teacher? How about
information on graduation and
transfer requirements?
Well, that’s why the college
has peer mentors on campus every day school is in session. The
mentors are here to assist you in
almost anything you need help
with that deals with college.
They are students who can
relate to what students are going
through. They’re trained to provide students with information
on general degree requirements,
academic policies and transfer
opportunities.
The peer mentors lead student orientations and make students feel welcome by introducing them to teachers and giving
campus tours.
Hylie Santos, an experienced
peer mentor and tutor, said
“Every day is different. During
the semester, we are either tutors or supplemental instructive
leaders.”
“We also help with academic
advising and orientation as well as
attend training sessions, monthly
meetings,and complete required
reports and evaluations.”

T

lokelani kenolio

Free service with a smile! WCC’s peer mentors and counselors can help you in your college adventure.

She added how much she
enjoyed being a peer mentor
because the group is like one big
‘ohana and hang out together.
To become a peer mentor,
you’re required to have attended
college for at least one year and
obtained a minimum of 24 credits and have a 3.0 grade point
average or higher.
According to Santos, “If you

contact Loke Kenolio, she will
schedule an interview with her
and two other peer mentors.
“Also, you have to bring a
resume with you, showing your
background, such as schools,
jobs, community service, etc. If
they feel you would fit the team,
they hire you.”
She said peer mentors gain
many benefits such as making a

whole new group of friends that
will treat you like family.
You will also be getting
paid $9.45 an hour, which is the
highest-paying job on campus,
as well as working with supervisors who will be able to provide
you with a letter of recommendations in the future.
For more details, contact
kenolio@hawaii.edu.

his semester, the WCC
student government is
reaching beyond campus and
aiming to make the community a better place.
“I feel it is important for
all students to take pride in
their community and contribute to society,” said Senator
Jason Kamalu-Grupen.
On Feb. 11 from 12:30 to 2
p.m. ASUH-WCC will hold a
speak out at the Palikū Theatre. The topic will most likely
be the Mākua Valley live-fire
military training.
Mid-Month Munchies will
return on Wednesday, Feb. 17
from 4 to 6 p.m. in Hale No’eau.
This is a chance for students to
socialize and eat a free meal.
The first evening, nachos
will be served. On Thursday,
Feb. 18 from 12 to 2 p.m. a
fried chicken cookout will
be held.
Scheduled for March 4
is a fair aimed at convincing
students to provide service for
their community. Representatives from many service organizations, including the U.S.
military, will be on campus.

The design of a new decade

What’s the Oscar buzz?
by Kelly Wiles
Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter

T

his year, box office hits may very well win an Academy Award. It seems as though around Oscar time
we try to figure out what the best movies of the year
were. But our opinions don’t always matter when it comes to
the Best Picture award.
The Academy has to choose one movie that encompasses everything: a good screenplay, great directing and,
of course, excellent acting. But the Academy is doing something a little different this year. It’s nominating 10 movies
instead of the normal five for Best Picture.
It may quite possibly mean that some of the movies we
loved to watch will be nominated and one of them may win.
There were several huge box office hits this year that
come to mind immediately, like “New Moon” (a part of the
‘Twilight’ saga), “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,”
and “Avatar” that broke records for box office gross this
year.
Unlike some years, the box office hits are actually get-

by Lance Sabado
Ka ‘Ohana Editor in Chief

B

ack in 2000, cynics were saying the Y2K “computer defect” was a ticking time bomb that
would bring the modern, tech-dependent world to its knees.
Yet somehow we survived — even with 9/11, the Iraq War and the economic meltdown.
What a difference 10 years makes: We have the first African-American U.S. president, tech
devices for the palm of your hand, worldwide social networking and a mantra of “going green.”
The advances of the past decade point us toward the next 10 years and maybe some hope
for the future.

ting recognized.
But who’s going to take Best Picture of the Year?
Movie critic Roger Ebert said, “ ‘Avatar’ is not simply
sensational entertainment, although it is that. It’s a technical breakthrough.”
Chelsea Furtado, a WCC student said, “I think ‘Nine’
was a great movie. It had good music and a great story
line. I feel even though it didn’t win the award for Best
Motion Picture (comedy or musical) at the Golden Globes,
it should still win for the Oscars.”
John Lyman, another Windward student said, “I think
‘The Blind Side’ was the best movie because it was inspirational. The movie had a good meaning; it wasn’t just for
entertainment.”
Some of the box office hits may also be considered
Oscar-worthy. So what does this mean for moviegoers?
Maybe it’s possible for a popular movie to also have some
substance.
But everyone has to wait and find out who will win.
So tune in March 7 and see if your predictions become the
actual winners.

t’s an age-old tale filled
with action, romance and
a belief in a better world,
but is it the best movie of
2009?
That judgment depends
on whom you talk to, but
from t he lines at t he box
office, the movie has struck
a c hord w it h m i l l ion s of
people.
The plot goes something
like this: In the year 2154,
a moon called Pandora is
home to an indigenous humanoid species called the
Na‘vi. However, their home
is threatened by invading humans from the dying planet
Earth who have arrived to
m i ne a valuable mater ial
called Unobtanium.
Alt hough t he plot li ne
may sound familiar, “Avatar” brings the images to life
as never before through the
wonders of computer and
high-tech magic
“It was a terrific retelling
of an old and common story
line — that of an imperial,
colonial power attempting

error the avat a rs a re u nsuccessful in
arriving at a
peaceful resolut ion, a nd
mercenary
for c e s s e e m
to be the only
way to get
what the hum a n s wa nt :
Empire online
the Na’vi peoJake Sully as an avatar played by Sam Worthington. ple to move.
“ It wa s n’t a m i l it a r y
to conquer and steal the re(unit)
but a group of men
sources of indigenous groups
being
paid
by a corporation
before adequately coming to
to
defend
and
provide serunderstand the group’s way of
vices
to
the
men
in charge
life, strengths, knowledge, and
of
Pa
ndora,”
said
ret ired
beauty,” said WCC religion
Chief
Warrant
Officer
Dan
teacher Sarah Hadmack.
Geltmacher.
Through science, the hu“That makes them mermans create genetically grown
cenaries
with rules separate
avatars of the Na’vi people.
from
the
U.S. military,” he
Their purpose is to find a
added.
diplomatic solution to moving
The k nowledge avathe natives away from a rich
tar
driver Jake Sully (Sam
source of Unobtanium.
Worthington)
provides the
From the perspective of
mercenaries
is
enough to
Cpl. Jerome Zaid of the Marine
destroy
all
the
Na’vi.
HowCorps, the movie portrays
ever,
his
contact
with
their
“how science is often used as
culture
helps
him
see
a
bigger
a cover story. It really opens
picture. Sully learns of their
your eyes to what goes on.”
Despite much trial and higher power, Eywa, and of

their deep connection to
their surroundings.
“The religious beliefs
are very similar to what
characterizes indigenous
fa it h s: l iv i ng i n ha r mo ny with nature, showing
g r a t it u d e a n d o f f e r i n g
prayer when the life of an
animal is taken, a strong
sense of interconnectedness and more so, of interdependence, belief in
a n i m i sm, a nd h av i ng a
shaman for healing,” says
Hadmack.
Th i s con nec t ion a nd

faith is what leads Jake to
fight with the Na’vi as one
of them.
In 1994, Cameron had an
80-page script with the title
“Avatar” attached to it, but
the technology to bring his
vision to life was non-existent. He knew he had to wait.
Now, more than 10 years
later, his vision has been
shared with millions around
the world.
Ent icing graph ics and
special effects pushed “Avatar” to the top of the box
office charts.

IMDB

Love interest Neytiri, played by Zoe Saldana, teaches Jake Sully the ways
of the Na’vi and how to live harmoniously with nature.

new movement has swept the nation and the careful use of our natural
resources has become a number-one priority.
“Going green” is the cause, and the goal is for people to make environmentally efficient decisions and lead ecologically responsible lives.
As consumers, the ultimate intent is to lessen consumption and “buy green.” Specifically, consumers
are being asked to recycle, use less electricity and water
and buy products that are eco-friendly.
On the corporate side, the movement mostly involves saving energy. Big companies, like General
Electric, are finding new ways to use less fossil
fuel—as a CNBC report revealed that industrial
use makes up for two-thirds of the energy consumed by the United States.
All in all, “going green” is having global repercussions. The philosophy behind the movement is
that by taking the right steps to save the environment,
we can improve our overall quality of life.
As Mohandas Gandhi once put it, “There is a sufficiency in
the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.”

Preoccupation with online
communication

W

riting letters has become a thing of the past—mainly because of
sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.
Nowadays, you are out of the social loop if you haven’t subscribed to
one of these networking Web sites.
Recent Facebook statistics
show that it has 350 million active users. MySpace, which has
recently fallen behind Facebook
in usage, boasts that one in four
Americans is or has been a member of its site.
According to Nielsen Online,
Twitter had an incredible yearly
growth rate of 1,382 percent, from
February 2008 to February 2009.
In addition, the same Web
site indicated that “blogging and networking sites make up for almost 10
percent of time spent on the Internet—more than on email.”
Clearly, online social networking has revolutionized our means of
communication both locally and worldwide.

Obama overcomes odds

A

fter 43 presidents and over 200 years, America has elected its first
black president.
“In this case, hope has won over prejudice—this is good for the
United States and the world as a whole,” said Russian Deputy Foreign
Minister Grigory Karasin in a Reuters news report.
From the beginning, Barack Obama campaigned
that he would bring about change for the country—mainly in matters of the economy, health
care, alternative energy and education.
He’s even been quoted as saying that he
wants America to hold him and the government accountable for this change.
According to Politifact.com, a service
from the St. Petersburg Times that measures the promises kept by politicians,
Obama has made good on approximately
20 percent of his campaign promises in
his first year as president.
Many consider Obama becoming president a momentous feat. As he once said in
a convention speech, “In no other country on
Earth is my story even possible.”

Gadgets and gizmos aplenty

C

ellular phones with multiple applications, vehicles with a global positioning system (GPS) and little mechanisms that hold and play thousands of music files—these are some of the decade’s most cutting-edge
inventions.
It all started with the cell phone. First, phones that featured simple text
messaging were popular. Then, phones with picture and
video-taking capabilities became big. Now, the craze is
touch-screen cell phones with Internet access.
Also popular at the moment are automobiles with
GPS. The function, which is to direct a driver to a particular destination, makes asking for directions unnecessary
and, furthermore, getting lost unlikely.
Last but not least, we have the infamous iPod. Although CD’s once seemed useful, they were limited to the
number of songs they could hold and required lugging
around a clunky player. With the iPod, you can download
and listen to thousands of songs and fit it comfortably in
the your pocket.
We want our technology to be both practical and fun. Where simplicity
was once sufficient, we have been spoiled by these new apps and can now
have the best of both worlds.

Will you be my ‘green’ valentine?
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet.” But
wait a second, Romeo. There is a difference between an organically grown rose and one that
is mass-produced for Valentine’s Day.
Most of the commercially sold flowers in
the U.S. are imported— most likely due to the
low wages offered in other countries and free
use of pesticides. So although Romeo was correct
in his comparison for his time, in today’s world
a locally or organically grown rose could smell a
little sweeter.
Why not forget roses altogether and go a bit exotic
with an orchid or other tropical plants that are grown
in Hawai‘i? But there is still another option: give a gift of
seeds with an attractive container that can be personalized.
If your valentine has a sweet tooth for chocolates, there

is a variety of choices —from organic, Fair-Trade or
Rainforest
Alliance chocolates. However, if
you’re thinking of a little bling, take into consideration vintage, recycled or jewelry designed by
local jewelers that use environmentally certified
gold and conflict free diamonds as well as other
gem stones.
Hemp, a renewable resource, comes in a variety
of forms. There is hemp lingerie and cards made
from hemp as well. You can find them at www.
greenfieldpaper.com and at www.getconscious.com.
Or instead of buying a card this year, why not
make your own card or give your valentine a handwritten love letter during a picnic dinner at the beach or
a romantic candlelit homemade dinner at home. The options
are really limitless.
Just be informed and add a bit of green to that red Valentine
— Monika McConnell, Ka ‘Ohana Staff Reporter
this Feb. 14.

8 Ka ‘Ohana

F e b r u a r y 2 0 10

arts & entertainment
WINDWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Paliku Arts Festival set for 2011
by Akela Newman
Ka ‘Ohana Writer

W

indward Community College’s firstever Palikū Arts
Festival is set for spring of
2011 to affirm WCC’s status as
a community cultural center
and bid temporary adieu to
drama professor Ben Moffat.
It will feature a Cirquestyle performance, shows in
Gallery ‘Iolani and Imaginarium, local music, food,
and interactive activities for
everyone.
“The Palikū Arts Festival
will celebrate the creative impulse in all individuals,” said
Moffat, who also serves as
humanities department chair.
“It will promote WCC’s
fine and performing arts
programs, the University of
Hawai‘i and will build goodwill in the community.”
The humanities department and Moffat will manage
the coordination of the familyfriendly event.
The theme of the festival
will be “Exploration: Reaching out and Trying Something

New,” according to Moffat.
The goal is to make the
event as interactive as possible, with hands-on activities in visual and performing arts scattered around
Pālanakila’s building and
lawn.
Mof fat s ays st ude nt s
will be the backbone of the
operation.
They ’l l be t ra i ned i n
lighting, design, sound, and
event management—valuable skills in Hawai‘i’s tourism industry—and will be
offering short workshops
in the arts, performing, and
circus skills.
Any and all students are
invited to participate in the
event.
Also included in the festivities will be local artists and
performing groups.
The Arts Festival will also
be a farewell for Moffat, who
will resign from his teaching
position at about the same
time.
He said he wants to focus
on his own work and to help
out his family in maintaining their historic farm in

Wisconsin.
“My plan is to be there for
six months, and here offering
workshops for six months
each year,” he explained.
The estimated cost to produce the event is about $18,000.
Income to support the event
will come from grants, the
drama club and the renting of
tent space for food and craft
vendors.
Co-sponsors may also
include Kokua Palikū, the
Wi ndward Arts Cou ncil,
ASUH-WCC, Hawaiian and
other cultural groups.
Moffat said he envisions
an art village where anywhere
you went, you could experience performance and art in a
direct way.
It has been the goal of
many of WCC’s faculty to turn
the college into a community
cultural center, and the festival
will help bring that dream to
life.
“I see (the festival) as gently surrealistic,” says Moffat.
Anyone interested in participating in the festival can
contact Moffat at 236-9138 or
ben517@hotmail.com.

n t he realm of popular
music, the ‘00’s followed a
peculiar trajectory.
Just nine short years ago,
rap-metal was the most pervasive form of rock n’ roll.
Rolling Stone wrote articles
about how Limp Bizkit was
the “future of rock n’ roll.”
Luckily, their clairvoyance was clouded, and bands
like Korn were out of a job
by ’04. The second half of
the decade saw the unlikely
rise of indie-rock, a direct
result of the Garden State
soundtrack. Trust me, when
music historians look back
on this decade, they’ll agree.
In 2009, the word “indie”
went from unknown to ubiquitous to laughable. Indie’s
previously good name was
defaced; any band with a
quirky singer and a synthesizer got haphazardly
thrown in this category.
2009 saw a surplus of
t he s e ba nds, some good
(Grizzly Bear, Animal Collective), most bad (MGMT).
The indie fad has engendered a new army of persnickety (yeah, I dropped the
P Bomb), cooler-than-thou
music fans who yearn for
obscure music only to be

able to drop a new band’s
name in casual discourse. It’s
infuriating.
Dirty Projectors’ June
release, “Bitte Orca,” was the
best album of 2009 because
it rose above all that snooty
indie hoopla. It’s a fun, uplifting rock record without
all that artsy pretense other
new rock albums tend to
have.
Th e s o n g “ Te m e c u l a
Sunrise” starts innocently
enough, with lead singer
Dave Long st r e t h’s te nor
voice paired with upbeat
acoustic guitar doodling.
However, the floodgates
give way at the chorus. Ex-

plosive cymbals and snare
fills compete for space. Beautiful three-person harmonies
swell and disappear. What
sounds like 20 different guitars come and go. Time signatures change. Instruments
float in and out of tempo.
Nothing should make
sense – but it does. On paper
“Temecula Sunrise” sounds
self-indulgent and scattershot – but it’s not.
Somehow ever y t h i ng
adds up on “Bitte Orca,”
and the sum is irresistibly
catchy rock music that you
can dance to. I dare you to
listen to this record and not
be happy.

Tom holowach

From left to right, students Karen Bauder, Maria Harr and Seth Franke.

In 2002, Lindsey Kildow married
ith glowing hearts,” Vancouver, BC, Canada will play host
fellow
Olympian and former U.S. ski
to the 2010 Winter Olympics. The opening ceremony is
team athlete Thomas Vonn.
Feb. 12 and the closing ceremony is Feb. 28.
Born in St. Paul, Minn., Lindsey
With over 80 nations participating in 86 events, Team USA has Vonn was on skis at 2 years old.
four athletes in their 20’s who are hoping to bring home the gold.
Ryan Miller, Apolo Anton Ohno, Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White
are a few of the athletes Team USA can rely on to win medals.

Ryan Miller
Men’s hockey, Goalie

Harry How/Getty Images/teamusa.org

With his unique style of goaltending, Ryan Miller was selected 138th in
the 1999 NHL Draft by the Buffalo
Sabers.
Miller, 29, attended Michigan State
where he became only the second
goalie to ever win the Hobey Baker
Award, given to the best collegiate
hockey player.
There’s no denying hockey is in his

Apolo Anton Ohno

Men’s short track speed skating

When some hear the name Apolo
Anton Ohno, they may think of the
man who won the 2007 season of
“Dancing with the Stars.”
But at 27, Ohno is also possibly
the best short track speed skater in
the world.
Early in Ohnoʻs childhood, his
father, Yuki Ohno, was concerned
that his son would become a latchkey kid.
This encouraged him to get his
son involved with competitive swimming and inline speed skating to fill
his spare time.
The young Ohno went on to win
the Washington state championship in
the breaststroke. But even with his success in swimming, Ohno still preferred
inline speed skating.
As an amateur athlete he was
a finalist for the Sullivan Award,
which recognizes the best amateur
athlete in the U.S., in 2002, 2003 and
2006.
In his first attempt for gold at the
2002 Winter Olympics, Ohno competed in three races — the 500m, 1,000m,
and 1,500m.
After getting disqualified in the

blood. Miller’s brother Drew and his
three cousins also played in the NHL.
Becoming a starter hasn’t been
easy for Miller who worked his way
through the Sabers system, but once he
was given the job in 2006 he hasn’t relinquished his place between the pipes.
In his six seasons with the Sabers,
Miller has accumulated over 170 wins
and was named the starting goalie for the
2007 Eastern Conference All-Star team.
In 2006, Miller’s dreams of playing for Team USA were cut short due
to a thumb injury, but now in 2010
Miller is healthy and a shoo-in for
Team USA.
On the side, Miller has appeared
in an Amp Energy Drink commercial
with fellow goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin, where they traded verbal jabs at
one another in a competition called
“The Dozens Shootout.” Miller eventually won with the line “Yo’ mama’s so
ugly, she made an onion cry,” which
he delivered in Chinese.
But he’s not all fun and games.
Along with his father, Miller started the
Steadfast Foundation, which supports
cancer patients and their families.
If Team USA hopes to win a medal
in men’s hockey, their dreams may lie
in the hands of Miller.
500m, Ohno went on to win the silver
in the 1,000m, and then won the gold
in the 1,500m.
Overall, Ohno has won five medals
in the Winter Olympics (two gold, one
silver and two bronze), which ties him

Harry How/Getty Images/teamusa.org

Early in her career she became
the first American to win at Italy’s
Trofeo Toplino, a competition for
skiers of 11-14 years old in slalom.
Now 26 years old, Vonn is as ac-

complished as any downhill skier
in the world with over 30 wins in
World Cup compet it ion i n four
disciplines: the downhill, Super G,
slalom, and super combined.
Vonn made her Winter Olympic debut in 2002 compet ing in
the slalom and finishing sixth in
combined.
At her second Winter Olympics,
Vonn crashed while training and
was evacuated by helicopter.
She returned the following day
with a bruised hip and finished
eighth in competition.
This act of bravery earned Vonn
t he U.S. Olympic Spirit Award,
which is given to the athlete who
best represents the Olympic spirit.
In 2008 and 2009, Vonn accomplished something no American
woman has ever done. She became
the first to win back-to-back overall
World Cup championships.
With no Olympic medals around
her neck, Vonn is reaching her peak
and is undoubtedly an athlete who’ll
be making noise on the slopes during the 2010 Olympics.

Shaun White
Men’s snowboarding

Known as “The Flying Tomato,”
Shaun White, 23, is a professional
snowboarder and skateboarder from
Carlsbad, California who started
snowboarding at the youthful age of
6 and became a professional at age 13.
This makes the high-flying redhead one of the youngest to ever accomplish such a feat.
But before all the highs in his life,
White went through two open-heart
operations at the age of 5 because
he was born with a congenital heart
defect.
White’s fame blew up, in a good
way, due to the popularity of the Winter X Games snowboard competitions;
he has medaled every year since 2002.
With 14 medals at the Winter X
Games (9 gold, three silver, and two
bronze), he’s won the snowboard slopestyle four years in a row, making him
the first male athlete to do so.
White is also becoming recognized

Getty Images/teamusa.org

worldwide with his own video game
“Shaun White Snowboarding.”
A legend in the making, White
looks to add to his already substantial
collection of medals during the 2010
Winter Olympic games.
The sky’s the limit for “The Flying
Tomato.”

Employment
from page 2

Harry How/Getty Images/teamusa.org

with Eric Heiden for the most medals
won by an American athlete.
The 2010 Olympic games give
Ohno a good chance to become the
most decorated American athlete in
the Winter Olympics.

“I couldn’t turn down the job after
I’d been looking for over five months,”
said Roman Yelton, former WCC student.
“It really sucks that I can’t finish
school now because I had to work, but
what were my choices? I have to have
gas and food to come to school.
“My Pell grant was not enough
money to cover the entire semester. I
hope I can return soon, but I just don’t
know how I can do it. Working fulltime at minimum wage doesn’t allow
much room for class and study time.”
This feeling may be shared by
countless other students. We may nevver truly know the impact this recession
has had on students nationally.

ward-winning singersongwriter Jerry Santos, best known for his
work with the group Olomana
and signature song ”Ku‘u Home
O Kahalu‘u,” will be featured at
the next “Talk Story” session
March 3 from 2 to 3 p.m. at
WCC’s Palikū Theatre.
Santos has been recognized
with many awards for both
traditional and contemporary
Hawaiian music. WCC professor Ron Loo said, “Santos and
many others have been a part of
the Hawaiian renaissance and
have helped to influence the
sound of Hawaiian music today.
“We have had some of the
greats here: Aunty Genoa, Cyril
Pahinui, Puakea Nogelmeier.”
The list goes on. Also
confirmed in t he line-up
for this semester are local
entertainment icons Nina

Keali‘iwahamana and Tony
Conjugacion, scheduled to
appear on March 10 at Palikū
Theatre from 2 to 3 p.m.
Loo explained bringing
local stars to campus for “Talk
Story” and Hawaiian music
workshop series helps “to bring
visibility to the Hawaiian studies program and showcase the
Hawaii Music Institute (HMI).”
He said the events also
help to recognize the people
who have been instrumental
in some phase of Hawaiian
culture, music, language and
to show the contribution of
these luminaries.
“I think it’s important for
us to witness this kind of talk
story because it doesn’t happen too often today, and all of
our greats are slowly slipping
away or are in ill health. It’s
important to recognize them
while we still can,” added Loo.
When recalling the many
artists who have already par-

courtesy Jerry Santos

shimabuku / honolulu advertiser

mountain apple company

Jerry Santos

Nina Keali‘iwahamana

Tony Conjugacion

ticipated in the series, Loo commented, “You can’t beat sitting
just a few feet away from the
best. We need to learn what we
can from these great artists while
they’re still around.”
Loo is a professor of slack
key guitar, philosophy, and the
coordinator for HMI. He would
like for people to know that
HMI and the “Talk Story” series

“does not just do Hawaiian stuff.
(HMI) has also featured top
piano, voice, and wants to bring
in banjo or bluegrass guitar to
broaden what they do here.”
Loo was passionate when he
said, “We want to bring in and
share the best. It’s important for
our students and the surrounding community to know that
this is a ‘community college’ and it

is here for them. We want to see
them take ownership.
“So, that’s where we’re
going or where we hope to be.
Hopefully, not long before I
leave this Earth, I’d like to see
a two- or three- day folk music
festival here in five years. Do
you think we’re ready for it?”
For more information, contact Loo at rloo@hawaii.edu.

ooking for a way to make
your college career more
meaningful?
A growing number of
WCC students are finding
ways to connect their class
work to community service
through “service-learning.”
The service-learning program on campus, coordinated
by anthropology teacher Pam
DaGrossa, has more than 190
sites where students can provide community service and
earn course-related credit for
what they do.
Wo r k s i t e s i n c l u d e
Hakipu’u Learning Center,
Hawa i ia n Hu ma ne Soc iety, Blood Bank of Hawaii,
ASUH-WCC, Democ rat ic
Party of Hawaii, Boys & Girls
Club Windward, Bristol Hospice, and more.
“Service-learning allows
students to put into practice
the skills and education they
possess in a real life situation,
and to grow from it,” says
DaGrossa. “It’s a wonderful
way to enhance learning and,
hopefully, promote awareness for one’s community.”
H a k i p u ’u L e a r n i n g
Center’s administrator Teri
Maneha adds, “Volunteering
opens career opportunities.
My volunteer work prepared
me for the paid opportunity
I now call a career.”
To qualify, students must
first be enrolled in classes listed with the servicelearning component. They

“The servicelearning option is a
great opportunity
to link personal
interest, community
service and
academic learning.”
– Pam DaGrossa
must also complete at least
20 hours at an approved
work site and other specified requirements from their
instructor.
At the end of their service
and program completion,
students receive a certificate
of recognition and partial

course credit. Community
service must be coursework
related.
For Kehau Iwashita, who
attended the first information session this semester,
service-learning is volunteering with a purpose.
“I was interested in volunteering with Debi Hartman n (of t he Democratic
Party) because I have some
election experience. I worked
the voter registration site at
Windward Mall one election,” she says.
“However, I was thinki n g a b o ut vo lu nt e e r i n g
through the program for the
experience, not really for a
class. It’s better than randomly showing up at a place
and being like ‘I’m here to

volunteer’.”
Daniel Kamalu-Grupen,
DaGrossa’s student aide, said
his experience has opened
him up to the opportunities
and rewards of community
service.
“If I had more time, I
would volunteer more. But
I was accepted to serve with
the Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps on Maui this coming summer,” he explains.
“It’s centered on rebuilding
and protecting the environment. I think it will be a good
experience, and I can hardly
wait.”
WCC student Michele
Lorenz, who completed her
service project last fall, said
the program helped her understand how far community

service can reach.
At Fi rst Presbyter ia n
Church, her duties ranged
from front desk clerical work
to fundraising assistance,
recycling projects, and gathering other contributions
through the church for the
community.
“I was truly impressed
with how the church helps
so many people, both locally
and internat ionally,” she
explains. “The church even
helped the orphans in the
Philippines, and now those
in Haiti.”
Aside from her volunteer
work, she was required to
keep a daily journal of her
activities and to write up her
experience at the end of her
service for her religion class.
Lorenz is currently looking for another service-learning opportunity.
“Apart from the satisfaction you receive from doing
something for your community, service-learning is
the inspiration to continue
helping your community,”
Lorenz adds.
“I encourage all students
to consider it because it feels
great to help others,” says
DaGrossa. “The servicelearning option is a great
opportunity to link personal
interest, community service,
and academic learning.”
For a complete list of
courses and work sites, an
application packet, and additional information, visit
the Service-Learning Office
in Hale Na’auao 132.

F e b r u a r y 2 0 10

Editorial

Ka ‘Ohana

WINDWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE

11

What was the last decade’s biggest event?
Will this decade be better than the last?
MOST NEWSWORTHY EVENTS
Events that are mostly played
over in my mind are September 11,
the presidential election of Barack
Obama, the war in Iraq, and the effects of global warming. The reason
being … they will directly impact
my generation and my children.
I think that September 11 is the
most memorable event because it
had a domino effect on everything
else that occurred. Barack Obama’s
ele c t ion i s not on ly i mp or t a nt
because he is t he f irst AfricanAmerican president, but because
U.S. citizens are looking to him to
fix all of the issues.
— Kellie Vause
President Obama taking office
is the most newsworthy event that
took place in political history. Love
him or hate him, he and his presidential campaign will fill chapters
in our future history books. It shows
how much our society has evolved.
— Kaahu Alo
The most newsworthy event was
obviously 9/11. Without a doubt, it
will forever define the last decade.
It thrust us into a war that was long
overdue in my opinion —the War on
Terror.
That si ngle ac t of ter ror ism
was a final catalyst to involve the
greatest nation on earth to openly
confront those that would subjugate
others to their beliefs via terror and
intimidation.
— Jamie Bronson
I feel that this decade will be
more historically significant than

the last. The U.S. currently faces
much adversity and the decisions
of this decade to come may define
our country and its policies. The
most memorable and newsworthy
event of the last decade was, hands
down, 9/11.
The events that took place shook
an entire nation and changed many
aspects of life in our society.
— Jake Crocker
I am not sure whether this decade will be better than the last,
but I sure hope it will be. As I look
back I remember 9/11, President
Bush declaring a “War on Terror”
the Y2K scare, many natural disasters, and the economic meltdown.
None are more memorable than
another, but I think the biggest
event was 9/11. Americans felt fear
and did not feel comfortable living
here. The whole world felt fear
that terrorists could easily hijack a
plane and kill thousands of people.
— Samantha Tanginoa
I feel that having Barack Obama
win the election and become our
first black president was amazing
because back in the day we never
accepted black people at all and now
we put a black man in a position to
run our country. …
I think now that he is our president, when his years are over, there
will be more African-Americans
running for office. We have come
from such a racial country to now an
equal rights country and that took
a big turn with the United States.
— Teresa Donoghue

PREDICTING THE NEXT DECADE
I don’t believe this decade will be
better than the last because in the past
10 years we have done great damage
that most likely won’t see a change for
more than a decade.
The situation with global warming is going to get worse because not
everyone is doing his or her part to
make a difference. By “going green” we
have it in our hands to make a change;
however, these are things that are out
of our control like all natural disasters
that have hit many, many people. This
takes a toll on the world.
­— Jennifer Simao
No, because the wars on civilizations need to stop. The leaders of the
countries need to come together. The
greediness of every country needs to
stop.
In order for this decade to be better our world leaders, our nations, our
people need to be “educated.” We need
to leave our children a better future.
— Adrian Keohohalole
I’m going on a positive note and
saying that yes, this decade will get
better. It’s been so bad these past years:
the economy going down, the many
natural disasters, war, and the idea
that global warming is approaching us.
I think that because of our experiences, some being personal, we realize
that we need to do things the right way
and prevent the bad and the negative
from happening.
— Mollie Bruhn
What can one say about a decade
that began with Y2K and ended with
H1N1? I think many political, economic

and environmental movements were
put into motion by the events of the
past decade— event such as 9/11, the
Iraq war, the economic meltdown, and
various earthquakes and tsunamis.
Sadly, I don’t believe it’s going to get
“better.” These things have happened
throughout history and the time between such happenings seems to be
decreasing.
— Arlena Nunes
I believe that this decade will be
worse than the last due to the economic
meltdown. America’s debt has grown
out of control, and for that reason our
generation and future generations to
come will have to carry that burden.
Furthermore, global warming is a
major international issue that is still on
the increase because of a lack of cooperation by the people and a shortage
of funds to finance projects that will
result in renewable energy resources.
— Kau Ohelo
Yes, because every day that passes
is a work in progress. We learn something new each day to better ourselves
and better our lifestyles. In the last 10
years we have gone from emailing our
friends constantly to going on Myspace
and getting in touch with friends and
family we haven’t talked to in years.
Then came along Facebook. Now you
can find and keep people posted with
how life is, one sentence at a time all
the time.
— Joe Lichota

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Awarded upon Admission

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Contact Coach for details

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Live Auditions begin: 2/13

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Live Auditions begin: 4/17

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Deadline: April 8

The Priority Deadline for Admissions is March 1
Office of Admissions • ph:544-0238 • www.hpu.edu/scholarships

12 Ka ‘Ohana
Sunday

F e b r u a r y 2 0 10

Feb./Mar. Calendar

Monday

Graduates:
The Bookstore will
be taking cap and gown
orders until Feb. 26
for those graduating this
semester.
Grade check with a
counselor is required
before placing an order.

Women’s History Month line-up
Wednesday, March
10, 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. in
‘Ākoakoa 105.
Hadmack brings
her vast knowledge and
her subject to life. She
makes clear the complex and transports
her students to another realm of thought.

P. Jayne Bopp,
WCC’s Office of
University Partners
coordinator and
sociology lecturer,
will speak on
“Women in
Sociology”

Tu e s d a y M a r c h
16, 12:30-1:30 p.m. in
Kuhina 115.
Teacher, student,
daughter and mother
among other titles,
Jayne Bopp, will offer a critique of feminism.
According to the WHM Web site, she will talk
about how this movement in the U.S. was started by
white, middle/upper class, educated, heterosexual
women. Also how, given this history, it has excluded
large numbers of women in its fight for “equality.”

T h u r s d a y, M a rc h
11, 12:30 -1:30 p.m. in
‘Ākoakoa 105.
As a young girl, Ann
Lemke was inspired by
other women, authors
such as Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson and Flannery O’Connor. Lemke
stays strong through adversity with her handsome
yellow Labrador companion, Yukon, by her side.

T hursday March
18, 12:40 -1:20 p.m. in
Kuhina 115.
“I became interested
in archaeoastronomy
because it humanizes
astronomy,” says Nancy Ali. Ali is the author of
the “Eye on The Sky” column for the Honolulu StarBulletin, and will be talking about Anne Sofaer, the
person who started the non-profit Solstice Project,
dedicated to the study of Chaco Canyon.

from page 1

Chigawa thinks that since more generations of
families are enrolling in community colleges, their
children are seeing the benefits and college is not as
intimidating as it once was. Also, since they are succeeding, students are building a stronger academic
base and are able to stay in college.
Both Chigawa and Hokoana speculate that the
surge will maintain its present numbers but aren’t
sure it will increase.
Students seem to be coming to school for a variety
of reasons — for better job skills or even to train for

a different career.
“I came back to school (here at WCC) to take an accounting course as a sort of refresher before I continue
on towards getting my master’s,” says Tama Si’ilata, a
University of Utah economics graduate. “It’s also cool
because my brother and my cousin are enrolled here.”
As for this reporter, I returned to school after
about 13 years of working with troubled youth and
felt a need to change fields due to burnout. Luckily,
for me, WCC has the financial aid and academics I
need to succeed.

19

20

26

27

5

Excellence in Education
Conference
No Classes

Orchid theft reported

W

ANTED: the return of a miniature cymbidium orchid plant
taken from the current display in the WCC
library.
Its owner, circulation manager Diane
Teramoto, said the plant has “great sentimental value” and has issued a plea to have
the orchid returned — no questions asked.
“The orchid was very valuable to me
because both my parents loved orchids,”
she explained.“I brought the orchid in a
ceramic planter to complement the exhibit.
I never dreamed that someone would steal
the plant, and I was very disappointed.”

Workshop highlights
science careers for women
If you’re a woman interested in science,
technology or engineering, you’re invited to
attend a free workshop, “Light Magic — an
Introduction to the Beauty of Optics” Friday,
Feb. 19 at Leeward Community College.
The two-hour workshop will be offered
three times during the day at 9 a.m., 11:45 a.m.
and 2:15 p.m.
The presenter is Leslie Bailey, an optomechanical engineer working for Oceanit
Laboratories on Maui, a company that deploys
small telescopes around the world.
Of the students who attend the workshop,
five will be awarded a trip to Oceanit Laboratories on Maui to see the career opportunities
available in Hawai‘i for women interested in
light engineering.
The students will be chosen based on essays that describe the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) careers they hope
to pursue.
To register for the workshop, go to http://
www.lightmagic.eventbrite.com.